Help, some questions about my pink sway!

[atomic sagebrush]

Anywhere from 30 minutes before to right before you eat.

[Lotte84]

Hi Atomic,

Our first TTC cycle wasn't successfull. Still a little bit dissapointed since I was pregnant immediately last time. But now I will be 11,5wk on diet, so it's not that bad. Up to the next month.

A question though, I had a cycle of 25 days instead of 28 days. I never had a cycle of just 25 days... Always 27 or 28.

Is a cycle of 25 days enough to conceive? And could the short cycle be a result of the diet/exercising? Is it bad?

I briskwalk 6/7 x pw 60 min, diet is vegetarian, 16 hour fasting and 3 meals a day, fiber before food that contains fat, cals between 1350 and 1650, fat and proteine up to 50/55, fullfat yoghurt and coconut milk, 14 days up to O one alcoholic drink, I lost about 9 kg (BMI was 29 when I started, so happy about the weightloss).

Anything I should do differently?

Thanks so much in advance!

[atomic sagebrush]

Yes, the diet and exercise moved your cycle up a bit. It is not bad and in fact it is completely normal to see changes in cycle. Keep up the good work - I'd have you stick above 1500 cals from here on in to keep the weight from dropping too much too fast.

[Lotte84]

Thanks Atomic! I will up my calories to at least 1500 a day.

But you can still conceive with a shorter cycle of 25 days? Is the luteal phase long enough to get pregnant? Upside, more chances :-).

[atomic sagebrush]

oh yes you absolutely can. Anything longer than 21 days is considered normal and I have maybe 10% of swayers for whom a very short cycle 21-25 days is totally normal (and weirdly they sometimes find their cycle gets LONGER with swaying LOL)

First of all you don't even know your luteal phase was short. You very well may have ovulated sooner than CD 14, so like CD 11 or so. Then the 14 day LP is tacked onto that - AF arrives CD 25 with normal LP. OR, you could have had a short LP, O on CD 14 with 11 day LP instead, and we have people on here all the time conceiving with that length LP. I don't worry about 11 day LP at all. Or it could have been a little of each - slightly early O, slightly short LP, and any LP 12 days or longer is normal!! It's all good, don't worry.

[Lotte84]

Thanks again so much! It's absolutely amazing that you really make the time to explain and calm us down. I really experience that I don't worry anymore about stuff that I've asked. So thank you!

[atomic sagebrush]

You're welcome! Happy to help!

[Lotte84]

I'm back again...stressing out and just don't know what I should do.

Last (our first TTC) cycle we did one attempt, but I didn't get a pos OPK. Maybe I started testing too late (CD12), since I had a cycle of 25 days (instead of 27/28/29). We did one attempt at CD 15. This cycle I started testing right after AF, but still no pos OPK (CD11)... It makes me so insecure that I absolutely have no idea if and when I will get a pos OPK. The last days I'm testing twice a day (I have CB digital and regular strips). Last time I got pregnant I had very clear and predictable OPK results. I didn't experience any stress. I know I shouldn't be stressed, but I can't help myself right now....

Could it be that the diet and exercise affect OPK results and that they are less reliable? Or is it just that it messes with my cycle so I have no clue when I will O?

Should I switch to E4D? I'm just thinking if I should keep on testing hoping for a pos OPK (and otherwise miss this cycle) or just do one attempt and another one in four days. I do have EWCM since two days. I did get pregnant the first month last time, but I was 29 back then. We're 33/34 now.

And is E4D like; saturday (attempt), sunday, monday, tuesday (attempt) of saturday (attempt) and the next attempt on wednesday?

Thanks again so much. Sorry for my questions, again....

[atomic sagebrush]

If you are this level of stressed about it, then yes, please switch to every 4 days.

Ladies, please try to keep in mind that it takes fully fertile couples doing nothing to sway who are actively trying to conceive an average of 3-6 months to get pregnant. If you've gotten pregnant the first cycle out in the past, you were lucky, and it's no guarantee that it will be that way other times you TTC. I just hate to see you guys let down so far from one BFN, it's to be expected especially with swaying!

I'm not completely folllowing your example of days but yes you'd attempt Sat (1) not sun (2) not mon (3) and then yes attempt Tues (4th day). This is how people do e4d to boost chances of conception. BUT if you prefer, since you're doing this more because the OPK are stressing you out and not because you've been TTC a really long time, you can stretch this one more day to Wed. (5th day). This may be better chances of pink but lower chances of concepiton. Totally up to you.

[Lotte84]

Thank you Atomic.

It's really not the dissapointment or expectation of a immediate BFN. I just find myself so insecure with the all of the sudden irregular cycles and negative OPK's. I don't mind trying longer, but I do want to have at least a chance every month. I already calmed down, I will continue testing this month and next month switch to E4D.

I just hope I didn't miss the O. I do have EWCM for a couple of days, but still no positive OPK. I test in the morning with CB digital and around 16pm with cheap strips. Could the diet/alcohol and exercise be the cause of this? I've read some negative things about the combination alcohol and OPK's.